17 Random folks will talk to you about your Mac

People will stop you in the airport, the hallway, the office and talk to you about your Mac laptop. They'll admire the display, ask about compatibility, mention the Intel processor, and otherwise chat. Sometimes it'll be cool, sometimes you'll be a bit embarrassed. And no, they won’t always be jeans-wearing, tousled-hair hipsters. Sorry.

18 You'll get more things done

Once you get over the bouncy icons in the dock, and exploring all the built-in applications, you'll probably end up spending a lot more time getting things done with your computer, and less time doing things to it.

19 Apple isn't Dell when it comes to returns

Lots of people have decent stories about returns and repairs, but the net is full of horror stories as well. If you decide you want to return something at an Apple retail store, there's a 10% restocking fee (although they waived it for me on a keyboard return). Or if your display goes on the blink, it can take days or weeks to get your machine back.

20 You'll play pretty well on a Windows network

As advertised, I’ve had very few problems connecting up to Windows servers and sharing files and printers.  However, sometimes I’ll have to run a client’s VPN software within Parallels.

So there you have it.  Enjoy your Mac!

Related reading

The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Apple Insider

14 There isn't much stuff to buy for a Mac

If you go to the local Fry's or Best Buy, you'll find aisles and aisles of stuff for Windows, a few things (like USB Keys or mice) that work on both Windows and the Mac, and if you're lucky, a crappy little shelf of Mac goodies. But you'll also likely find that you don't need to buy all that extra stuff, as a lot of it's not necessary with the Mac.

15 You'll spend more money than with Windows

From the initial hardware purchase, to software, to more frequent OS upgrades, you'll likely end up spending more money than someone with a Windows box - but you'll find you often get good value for your extra money. And Apple will keep coming out with new shiny objects that you really, really want to have.

16 You'll sell your used Mac for a decent price

Apple computers tend to retain their value better in the used marketplace. Even a two-generations-back non-Intel laptop will sell for $250-300 on craigslist.